THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIP: BREAD DOUGH'S A NO-NO FOR DOGS AND CATS
There'll be many cooks in the kitchen next Thursday--but don't spoil your
pet by giving him bread dough. According to veterinarians at the ASPCA
Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), when bread dough is ingested, an
animal's body heat causes the dough to rise in the stomach. As alcohol is
produced during the rising process, the dough expands. Pet's who've eaten
bread dough may experience abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation
and depression.
Take the case of the Labrador retriever who ingested several rolls that his
owner had placed on the oven to rise. The owner didn't think much of this,
and was more upset that the dog ate part of the holiday feast. But a few
hours later, the owner noticed that the dog looked very lethargic. It wasn't
long before the canine was reluctant to move and was retching.
As the symptoms intensified, the owner brought him to an emergency clinic,
which contacted the APCC. Unfortunately, the dog's stomach was so severely
distended that the only option at the time was to surgically remove the
dough; he was also treated for alcohol toxicosis, caused by fermentation of
the dough. The Labrador was kept at the clinic for the weekend and recovered
completely.
Although this dog had ingested quite a bit of dough, an animal needs to eat
only a small amount to cause a problem, because bread dough can rise to many
times its size. Take care not to let Fluffy or Fido in the kitchen
unsupervised when you're baking this holiday season--especially if you've
got a professional chowhound who's always on the lookout for food.
In addition to offering poison prevention tips online, the APCC also runs an
emergency hotline--1-888-426-4435--that provides round-the-clock telephone
assistance.
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